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Trump Attends Ceremony Honouring U.S. Troops Killed in Syria
President Donald Trump attended a solemn ceremony on Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, to honour three U.S. personnel killed in Syria by a suspected Islamic State attacker. The president was joined by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as the remains of the fallen were returned to American soil in flag-draped caskets.
A Solemn Farewell at Dover
On a cold and windy day, Trump and Hegseth stood at the foot of an Air Force transport plane, saluting as each casket was carried by white-gloved soldiers and placed into a waiting vehicle. The ceremony, known as a “dignified transfer,” was attended by the victims’ families and military officials.
The U.S. military identified the victims as Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, and Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, both members of the Iowa National Guard. The third victim was Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a civilian interpreter from Michigan. The three were killed on Saturday in the Syrian town of Palmyra when an attacker targeted their convoy before being shot dead by U.S. and Syrian forces.
Commitment and Retaliation
Following the incident, Trump described the attack as “terrible” and vowed that the United States would respond. He called the fallen personnel “great patriots” who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving abroad. Three additional U.S. soldiers were wounded in the assault, the military said.
In recent months, U.S.-led coalition forces have intensified air strikes and ground operations in Syria against Islamic State suspects, often working in coordination with Syrian security units. The renewed offensive reflects Washington’s ongoing effort to prevent the resurgence of the militant group in the region.
Honouring Service and Sacrifice
Ceremonies like the one at Dover have long been a tradition during times of conflict, offering a moment for national leaders to pay their respects to those who lost their lives in service. Dover Air Force Base is home to the largest U.S. military mortuary, where fallen troops are formally received before being returned to their families.
The dignified transfer on Wednesday served as both a symbol of national mourning and a reminder of the enduring risks faced by American forces deployed abroad.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Bangladesh: Anti-India Sentiments Grow As Election Date Nears
“From the beginning of this government till today, there has been tension with India.”
That was Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hussain in the wake of the tit-for-tat summoning of their respective high commissioners in Dhaka and Delhi. He underscored that both sides need to make an effort to move the relationship forward.
India has sought to keep open lines of communication with Dhaka while awaiting the outcome of the February elections. But threats by the July Oikya, a group representing those who took part in the August uprising against Sheikh Hasina, including some anti-Indian elements, threatened to storm the Indian High Commission on Wednesday.
They have demanded the extradition of Sheikh Hasina and blamed India for infiltrating “proxies” in the Bangladesh election process. With tensions going up, the high commission in Dhaka shut the visa office early on Wednesday, although it reopened on Thursday.
Prothom Alo reported that the people blamed for the attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, a member of the August uprising and a potential election candidate for a Dhaka seat, have fled to India. Dhaka has demanded that if they are found in India, they should be arrested and handed over.
This was conveyed to Pranay Verma, India’s High Commissioner, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry last Sunday. He was also told that the “anti-Bangladesh activities” of Sheikh Hasina in India must not be allowed.
They are likely to be even more miffed over the interview given to the Indian Express by Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the US-based son of Sheikh Hasina. He has warned that the elections in February will be rigged, given that his mother’s party, the Awami League, cannot contest.
“The Yunus regime has given Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist parties a free hand in the country. In Bangladesh, the Islamists have never received more than five per cent of the vote. By holding a rigged election where all progressive, liberal parties in Bangladesh are banned, the Yunus regime is trying to establish the Islamists in power,” Wazed said in an email interview.
“Terrorist training camps have already sprung up in Bangladesh. Known Al Qaeda operatives have been active there, and commanders of Pakistan LeT have spoken at public events there. So the threat to India is imminent and very real.”
It’s becoming increasingly clear that, notwithstanding India’s preference to steer clear of the goings on in Bangladesh, it is going to get drawn in as the election date nears and the politics gets ugly.
Chinese Consumer Brands Test U.S. Market Amid Trade Tensions
Chinese brands, chasing higher margins, are expanding into U.S. retail in 2025 to counter weak domestic demand. Pop Mart, Miniso, Anta, and Urban Revivo are opening new stores despite tariffs and decoupling pressures.
The counterintuitive trend, which started to emerge in 2023 after the COVID pandemic, accelerated this year as lethargic local spending prompted Chinese consumer companies to look abroad, initially in Southeast Asia.
New York A Litmus Test for Broader Expansion
Urban Revivo, often called ‘China’s Zara,’ opened its New York flagship in March.
The company’s presence in a fashion capital like New York was a litmus test for broader success elsewhere, said Leo Li, chairman and CEO of Urban Revivo’s parent Fashion Momentum Group, which last year saw sales revenue approach $1 billion.
He said Urban Revivo’s success in the West would hinge on strategy, product and brand value, and played down the heightened U.S.–China trade tensions that have marked U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to office.
A Reuters review of company filings and social media posts found that Chinese brands, including Urban Revivo, Auntea Jenny, Chagee, Luckin Coffee and Mixue, opened their first U.S. stores in 2025. Anta soon plans to open a store in Beverly Hills.
Miniso, which celebrated its 100th store opening in 2023, had grown to 421 North American stores as of September.
More Money
Pop Mart, which debuted in the U.S. in 2023, operated 41 locations there by mid-2025 and signaled plans for rapid expansion.
The brands targeting America were already winners in China’s fiercely competitive consumer market. If rewarded with success also in the U.S., they could reap profit margins far higher than they are accustomed to in Asia.
Younger, cost-conscious Western consumers – already shopping on Chinese platforms like Shein and PDD Holdings-owned PDD.O Temu offering better value with prices – would be the most likely target market, analysts said.
Anta, the largest sportswear brand by market share in Chin
Brand Awareness Poses A Challenge In The U.S.
A broader push into the U.S. poses challenges for Chinese brands, often little known outside their homeland.
Anta’s Beverly Hills store, and its sponsorship of U.S. basketball stars like Kyrie Irving, are aimed at boosting brand recognition, said Sagar Thanki, portfolio manager at Guinness Global Investors in London, another Anta shareholder.
“It’s about building trust in a new market rather than going completely gung-ho with their efforts to break into the U.S.,” said Thanki.
But price, and the freshness of new brands, may sway some younger customers.
(With inputs from Reuters)
In White House Speech, Trump Highlights Victories Amid Sinking Approval Ratings
In a rare evening address from the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump boasted on Wednesday of his and his administration’s accomplishments and blamed his Democratic predecessor for soaring consumer prices as his party braces for a tough midterm election next year.
“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump said in a speech that lasted less than 20 minutes and was delivered at a rapid-fire pace.
The Republican president, who regularly complains that he does not get credit for his accomplishments, offered few new policy initiatives to address high costs. Instead, he placed blame at the feet of former President Joe Biden, previous trade deals, immigrants and what he described as a corrupt system.
Trump also touted his administration’s work this year on a range of issues, from reducing border crossings to bringing down prices of some goods.
Trump announced his administration would send a “warrior dividend” of $1,776 to 1.45 million U.S. service members in the coming week. He also backed a Republican proposal to send cash directly to the public to offset the cost of health insurance rather than provide subsidies through the Affordable Care Act, a proposal that has yet to receive enough support in Congress.
“I want the money to go directly to the people so you can buy your own healthcare,” Trump said, the room behind him festooned with holiday decor. “The only losers will be the insurance companies.”
Poor Economy?
The address offered an opportunity for the president to address people’s concerns about affordability, an issue that Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly referred to as a Democratic hoax. On Wednesday, while casting blame on Biden’s presidency, Trump conceded that prices remain high while arguing that the nation was “poised” for an economic boom.
“I am bringing those high prices down and bringing them down very fast,” he said.
Trump’s Republicans are seeking to maintain control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the November elections next year, while Democrats are highlighting affordability concerns and differences over healthcare policy in an attempt to wrest power away.
High inflation during Biden’s four years in office helped Trump beat former Vice President Kamala Harris in last year’s election. But Trump’s tariff policies this year have created uncertainty and lifted prices in an economy that has now been overseen by his administration for nearly a year – and Trump, like Biden before him, has been struggling to persuade Americans that the economy is healthy.
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed just 33% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump has handled the economy.
Trump’s remarks took place in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room, and not the Oval Office, as presidential addresses often do.
‘Hottest Country’
In his remarks, Trump said he had attracted $18 trillion in investments that will create jobs and open factories. He credited his tariff policy as a leading factor: “One year ago, our country was dead… Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
He also said he would announce the next chair of the Federal Reserve soon, “someone who believes in lower interest rates, by a lot, and mortgage payments will be coming down even further.”
The speech came just a day before a closely watched update on inflation from the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
After touching a four-year low of 2.3% in April, just three months into Trump’s second term, annual inflation since then has been grinding higher.
Disruptions Due To Shutdown
In September – the latest data available because of reporting disruptions caused by the record-long government shutdown – the Consumer Price Index was up 3.0% year-over-year, the highest since January and higher than at any time during Trump’s first term.
Still, the inflation impact from Trump’s tariffs has not been as significant as many economists had predicted early in his term, with the cost of the import taxes spread among foreign producers, goods importers and end users, including consumers.
Prior to the speech, the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, contended that Trump had failed to live up to his campaign promises.
“He promised he’d bring costs down on day one. That was his number-one promise. That was the number-one reason he won the election. And costs are going up and up and up,” Schumer said at a news conference on Capitol Hill.
(with inputs from Reuters)
‘No Evidence Of Gunmen’s Military Training’: Philippines NSA On Bondi Attack
There is no evidence indicating that the two suspects involved in the Bondi Beach attack received any form of military training while in the Philippines, the Philippines’ National Security Adviser said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Eduardo Año said that a mere visit to the country does not substantiate allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have permitted any meaningful or structured training.
Antisemitism
The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 in an attack that shocked Australia and heightened fears of antisemitism and violent extremism.
Año said the government was investigating the two men’s travel from November 1 to 28 and coordinating with Australian authorities to determine the purpose of the visit, dismissing media reports portraying the southern Philippines as a hotspot for violent extremism as “outdated” and “misleading”.
Immigration records show the pair landed in Manila and travelled to Davao City in Mindanao, a region long-plagued by Islamist militancy, before the attack that Australian police say appeared to have been inspired by the Islamic State.
The men stayed mostly in their rooms for almost a month at a budget hotel in Davao, MindaNews reported.
Operationally Degraded
The father and son checked in at noon on November 1 and rarely went out for more than an hour, a hotel staffer told the online news outlet, which is based in Mindanao. Hotel staff said the two kept to themselves, never spoke to other guests, or had visitors. They were only seen walking nearby and never taking rides or getting picked up in front of the hotel.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Calls to a hotel officer and the Davao police went unanswered.
Since the 2017 Marawi siege, a five-month battle in which the Islamic State-inspired Maute group seized the southern city and fought government forces, Philippine troops have significantly degraded ISIS-affiliated groups, Año said.
“The remnants of these groups have been fragmented, deprived of leadership, and operationally degraded,” he added.
(with inputs from Reuters)
U.S. Approves Largest Ever Arms Package For Taiwan Of $11.1 Bn
The United States on Wednesday approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island, which is under increasing military pressure from China.
The Taiwan arms sale announcement is the second under U.S. President Donald Trump’s current administration, and comes as Beijing ramps up its military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
The proposed arms sale covers eight items, including HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones and parts for other equipment, Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement.
“The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self‑defence capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability,” it added.
Credible Defensive Capability
The ministry said the package is at the Congressional notification stage, which is where Congress has a chance to block or alter the sale should it wish, though Taiwan has widespread cross-party support.
In a series of separate statements announcing details of the weapons deal, the Pentagon said the arms sales serve U.S. national, economic and security interests by supporting Taiwan’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a “credible defensive capability”.
Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage “asymmetric warfare”, using mobile, smaller and often cheaper weapons which still pack a targeted punch, like drones.
“Our country will continue to promote defence reforms, strengthen whole‑of‑society defence resilience, demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves, and safeguard peace through strength,” Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement, thanking the United States for the sales.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last month announced a $40 billion supplementary defence budget, to run from 2026 to 2033, saying there was “no room for compromise on national security”.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, said weapons like the HIMARS, which have been used extensively by Ukraine against Russian forces, could play an essential role in destroying an invading Chinese force.
“This bundle of congressional notifications, a record in U.S. security assistance for Taiwan, is a response to the threat from China and the demand from Trump that partners and allies do more to secure their own defence,” he added.
Taiwan FM’s Visit
The announcement followed an unannounced trip by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung to the Washington area last week to meet U.S. officials, according to two sources who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Reuters was unable to determine the agenda of the meetings, and Taiwan’s foreign ministry declined to comment.
Washington has formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, but maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and is the island’s most important arms supplier. The U.S. is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though such arms sales are a persistent source of friction with China.
Trump’s penchant for dealmaking and his planned visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping next year have kindled fears in the region of weakening U.S. support for Taiwan.
But U.S. officials told Reuters at the outset of Trump’s second term this year that they had plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China.
The Trump administration’s national security strategy, unveiled earlier this month, said the U.S. aimed to deter conflict over Taiwan by “preserving military overmatch” against China in the region, language welcomed in Taipei.
The strategy also highlighted Taiwan’s strategic importance due to its location dividing “Northeast and Southeast Asia into two distinct theatres”.
China views Taiwan as its own territory, a position Taipei rejects.
(with inputs from Reuters)
U.S. Lawmakers Urge Expansion Of Mandarin, Tibetan And Uyghur Studies
A bipartisan U.S. congressional panel is calling for a major expansion of Mandarin and other China-related language immersion programmes, arguing that linguistic expertise is becoming a national security imperative even as Washington moves to curb Beijing’s influence in American education.
As reported by South China Morning Post, in its latest annual report, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) urged Congress to support immersion-based training in Mandarin, Tibetan and Uyghur across U.S. high schools and universities. The recommendation comes amid tightening restrictions on partnerships with Chinese government-linked entities and reduced federal funding for cultural exchange programmes under President Donald Trump’s second administration.
At first glance, the message appears mixed. In reality, it points to a crucial truth: understanding China requires language skills precisely in times of rivalry. Without deep linguistic and cultural knowledge, the U.S. risks misreading Beijing’s intentions, overlooking human rights abuses, and weakening its ability to counter covert influence efforts.
As a Professor of China Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, Dr. Sriparna Pathak points out, “Mandarin Chinese language enrollments in U.S. higher education have been declining since peaking around 2013–2016.” University-level programmes have been hit by the closure of Confucius Institutes, tighter visa policies, and growing unease among students about China-focused careers amid deteriorating bilateral relations.
At the same time, Mandarin learning has not disappeared — it has shifted. “In K–12 schools, Mandarin immersion programs have grown steadily,” Dr. Pathak notes, with nearly 400 such programmes operating across the U.S. by early 2025. Beyond classrooms, informal and self-directed learning is rising sharply. She points to a surge in casual Mandarin study in 2025, driven in part by so-called ‘TikTok refugees’ — American users migrating to Chinese social media platforms amid uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the U.S. Reflecting this trend, Duolingo reported a 216% increase in U.S. users starting Mandarin in early 2025.
Schools, meanwhile, have adapted by building independent programmes that avoid direct links to Beijing. They increasingly rely on domestic teachers, heritage speakers, and partnerships outside mainland China. According to Dr. Pathak, U.S. schools can “grow Mandarin programs while cutting ties with China-linked institutions,” and many already have. Taiwan-based partnerships, in particular, offer politically neutral, high-quality instruction without censorship concerns.
By framing language learning as a tool to counter “malign” influence operations and better understand conditions inside China, the CECC is attempting to recast immersion programmes as part of a broader resilience strategy. As Dr. Pathak sums up, “Decoupling from PRC-linked institutions has not halted Mandarin program development; instead, it has shifted toward independent, secure models aligned with U.S. interests.”
The commission’s call to expand Tibetan and Uyghur learning is more aspirational. Ms. Pathak notes that both languages remain “highly niche,” offered at only a handful of universities, with no evidence of broad growth. Interest exists, particularly around human rights concerns, but sustained investment will be needed to turn symbolism into substance.
As Washington hardens its China policy, the challenge will be to ensure that caution does not slide into intellectual retreat. Language skills are not a concession to Beijing but a strategic asset for U.S.
Trump Invitation To Munir And The Many Pitfalls Of Gaza
Field Marshal Asim Munir is off to the White House again on what will be his third visit, and while dates are still being worked on, this would not be something he would be comfortable with: the reason being the visit is tied to Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which involves Pakistan, among other Muslim nations, contributing troops!
Do note that the Gaza Stabilisation Force (that’s what it’s called) commanded by a US Army general, will comprise troops from as many as seven Muslim nations (Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and of course, Pakistan), and it will be headquartered in Israel. Meaning after bombing Gaza to the stone age, the Israelis will have a hand in deciding the role of the Gaza force, how it operates, what it will do, and where it can go.
Munir is well aware of the pitfalls of what he is getting into: his deeply radicalised people have no love lost for Israel. They will have no love for him when they find out that the Pakistani Army is being used to hunt down the remnants of Hamas in Gaza. It is widely believed that this is what the Gaza force is being set up for.
Hamas has already signalled its reservations: Basem Naim, a senior official, was quoted by Al Jazeera as demanding clarifications from the US on “freezing or storing” of weapons during the ongoing truce. He also rejected any role for the Gaza force in the disarmament process.
But Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is clear about what he wants: at a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, he said, ” We have a second phase, no less daunting, and that is to achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza.”
Hamas is reportedly okay with the idea of laying down arms, but only if that is part of the process leading to a Palestinian state. Netanyahu does not want one. So, back to Munir. There’s no doubt Pakistan will tout the visit as evidence of how close Washington and Islamabad are. But what Washington is demanding is something Munir can give only at the cost of seeing his radicalised nation turn on him.
Ties With U.S. Consequential But India Must Keep Eyes Wide Open: Vijay Gokhale
The National Security Strategy released by the Trump administration last month focuses on U.S. foreign policy, often described by the current dispensation as realistic. Trump’s national security strategy introduces a healthy dose of realism, says former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.
The strategy says it is necessary for the U.S. to prioritise which regions, issues and countries it wishes to be involved in. “It is flexible realism as the U.S. cannot be involved everywhere. And I think it introduces a breath of fresh air into American approach globally, Gokhale told StratNews Global.
Rebalancing, Trump Style
The strategy also factors in some amount of rebalancing. The priority earlier given to U.S. military capability is now subordinated to building economic power and keeping the technological edge, the former diplomat adds. This keeps pace with the fact that China now dominates global manufacturing (30 per cent). The U.S. ranks a distant second (18 per cent). So how should India approach the American policy that will emanate from the national security strategy? India’s partnership with the U.S. is consequential but with caveats, according to Vijay Gokhale. “India should go into it with its eyes wide open.”
Ideological Shift
He points to another key element—the ideological narrative has shifted in America. “It’s no longer the free world versus dictatorships. Or let us promote democracy abroad. It is now the West versus the rest. Let us promote Western civilization abroad.”
And this can affect India in the context of India-Pakistan relations. The national security strategy says the U.S. will be concerned by the affairs of other countries ‘only if their activities directly threaten our interests’. “In other words, Pakistan’s terrorist activities, so long as they do not threaten the continental United States, is not of America’s concern,” says Gokhale.
The document also talks of ‘maintaining good relations with countries whose governing systems and societies differ from ours’. Gokhale’s takeaway: “So we (U.S.) don’t care if there is democracy in Pakistan; we don’t care if General or Field Marshal Munir is now in the ascendant and democracy is sinking, so long as they do not affect our (U.S.) core interests.”
The ideological shift is bad news for India in terms of India-Pakistan relations, reasons Gokhale, “because neither our concerns or terrorism nor our concerns of democracy will resonate in the Washington Beltway.”
Tune in to this conversation where Vijay Gokhale also talks about the U.S. salience on the Indo-Pacific, its China approach and why India does not need to lose heart.
Hong Kong Leader Discusses Jimmy Lai Verdict with Xi Jinping
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said on Tuesday that he had discussed the conviction of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, a day after Lai was found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the city’s national security law.
Xi Urges Continued Focus on National Security
Lee did not disclose how Xi responded to Lai’s verdict but said the Chinese leader encouraged Hong Kong authorities to continue strengthening efforts to safeguard national security. “President Xi expressed full support for Hong Kong’s work to maintain stability and security,” Lee told reporters after the meeting.
The case has drawn global scrutiny over Hong Kong’s judicial independence and the state of civil liberties in the financial hub, which has seen sweeping political changes since Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020 following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Lee Criticises Foreign Media Coverage
Lee accused some international media organisations of misleading the public in their coverage of Lai’s conviction. “Some organisations, particularly foreign media, deliberately whitewash Lai’s criminal acts,” he said. “Their objective is to obscure his shameless conduct and subversive actions as an agent of external forces who sought to infiltrate and brainwash young people.”
Lai, aged 78, is the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, once Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy newspaper. His supporters see him as a symbol of resistance and press freedom, while Beijing regards him as a key instigator of the 2019 protests and a conspirator who encouraged foreign sanctions against China and Hong Kong.
Widespread International Reaction
Foreign governments and human rights groups have criticised Lai’s conviction, calling it politically motivated and emblematic of the erosion of freedoms guaranteed under Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” framework. Beijing, however, insists the prosecution is a legitimate enforcement of law and order.
As the high-profile case continues to reverberate internationally, Lee reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to upholding the national security law, saying it was essential for Hong Kong’s long-term stability and prosperity.
(with inputs from Reuters)